Tells her story at Boynton Beach city meeting

April 3, 2013|By Attiyya Anthony, Sun Sentinel

On Tuesday, Boynton Beach commissioners heard about a handicap parking ticket spat that could have sent a woman to jail for aggravated assault. Instead, officials may end up investigating the actions of one of their parking enforcement volunteers.

During the public hearing, Luella Kirkwood, 77, of Delray Beach, emotionally discussed an incident that happened two weeks ago between her and Boynton Beach volunteer parking enforcement officer, William Horn, 44.

On March 23, Kirkwood said Horn approached her "aggressively" in the Walmart parking lot on Federal Highway and Gulfstream Boulevard about illegally parking in a handicap spot. Horn said that she "bumped" him with her car after refusing a ticket.

The incident report states that Kirkwood did not have her handicap sticker displayed in her 2006 Hummer, and when Horn said he was going to issue her a ticket, she "became belligerent towards him."

Kirkwood then got in her car to leave and Horn went behind it to take a picture of her license plate to issue a ticket later. The report states that Kirkwood "bumped" Horn with her car when leaving. He called Boynton Beach police and reported the injury, but refused medical attention.

Kirkwood, holding back tears, told the commission: "I don't disrespect the law, but he was nasty and he lied."

Kirkwood told the commission that she had her handicap parking decal displayed and that Horn approached her car "yelling disrespectfully" and she was not immediately aware that he was associated with the police force.

Kirkwood said she left the scene and called police in Delray Beach, where she lives. Walmart video footage later obtained by Boynton Beach police showed that Kirkwood never hit Horn with her car.

Kirkwood's lawyer, Herman Stevens Jr. of Delray Beach, said that the same video that cleared Kirkwood of an aggravated assault charge also proves that Horn filed a false police report.

"Why is he not being subjected to the criminal justice system? His contacts are shielding him from the process," Stevens said.

Stephanie Slater, spokeswoman with Boynton Beach police department, wrote in an e-mail: "[It's] important to note here that this entire incident could have been avoided had Ms. Kirkwood showed Mr. Horn her disabled parking permit when he asked, as required by law."

Rita Swan, head of Boynton's police volunteer group, says Horn is one their top officers when it comes to writing tickets. She says she's never had complaints about him prior to this.

Mayor Jerry Taylor said the incident needed to be investigated. Vice Mayor Woodrow Hay, who is Kirkwood's nephew, agreed.

"We will look into this, Aunt Luella isn't a violent person," the vice mayor said. "We will look into this even if I have to do it myself."